Want to Play College Hockey Someday? Start With What You Do Today.

For a young hockey player, dreaming big is part of the fun.

Maybe you imagine pulling on a college jersey one day. Maybe you picture yourself playing NCAA hockey, reaching the professional level, or simply finding out how far the game can take you.

Those dreams matter.

But one of the biggest lessons young athletes can learn is that reaching those dreams isn’t only about what happens when college coaches finally start watching.

The preparation starts much earlier.

On an episode of The Ride to The Rink, Lee Elias and Christie Casciano Burns welcomed Kiersten Sires, creator of 2aDays, for a conversation designed specifically for young players who may be thinking about playing hockey in college someday.

Her message wasn’t about creating recruiting profiles at eight years old or worrying about which coaches are watching.

It was about becoming the kind of player—and person—you’ll want to be when those opportunities eventually arrive.

And almost every young hockey player can start doing that today.

College Hockey Habits Aren’t Built at 17

Young players sometimes look at older athletes and assume something suddenly changes when they reach high school.

Now they train seriously.

Now they communicate with coaches.

Now they become responsible.

Now academics matter.

Now they start acting like college athletes.

But those behaviors usually don’t appear overnight.

They are habits.

And habits are developed through repetition.

That means an eight-, ten-, twelve-, or fourteen-year-old player can already be practicing many of the skills that could benefit them years later.

Kiersten encouraged players to think about their daily routines.

Ask yourself:

• What am I doing today to become a little better?
• Am I arriving ready to practice?
• Am I listening and learning?
• Am I helping my teammates?
• Am I putting effort into school?
• How do I respond when something doesn’t go my way?

None of these questions requires a college scout to be standing in the rink.

They are about developing a standard for yourself.

That standard follows you as the competition gets tougher.

Your Grades Are Part of Your Hockey Journey

There may be no piece of the college hockey conversation easier for young players to underestimate than academics.

If your dream includes playing hockey in college, school is part of that dream.

Kiersten explained that strong grades can make recruiting easier because they create more possibilities for both the player and the college coach.

A talented player still has to be able to attend the school.

When your academic performance is strong, a coach may have more flexibility when trying to advocate for you during the admissions process. More importantly, good grades can give you more choices.

That’s something worth understanding long before recruiting begins.

And there’s an even bigger lesson hiding underneath it.

The work ethic you practice in hockey doesn’t have to stay at the rink.

If you know how to concentrate through a difficult drill, keep working when you’re tired, listen to feedback, and try again after making a mistake, you already understand skills that can help you in the classroom.

The same can be true at home.

Doing your responsibilities when you don’t particularly feel like doing them is another opportunity to practice discipline.

It may not feel like hockey training.

But in a way, it is training the person who plays hockey.

Coaches Are Recruiting a Person, Not Just a Player

Every young athlete knows coaches care about hockey ability.

Can you skate?

Can you compete?

Can you make plays?

Can you help the team win?

But eventually, coaches are also trying to answer another question:

What will it be like to have this person on our team every day?

That’s why Kiersten emphasized being a great teammate.

Your behavior when you aren’t scoring can tell people plenty about you.

What happens when you’re sitting on the bench?

Do you encourage your teammates?

How do you react after a mistake?

How do you behave when your team is losing?

Do you help someone when they need it?

Are you paying attention?

Do you bring energy when somebody else succeeds?

Those moments might not appear on a scoresheet.

But they help shape your reputation.

And in today’s hockey environment, players should understand that information travels. Games are streamed. Coaches communicate. Parents talk. Current coaches can eventually speak with future coaches.

The goal isn’t to become paranoid because someone might be watching.

It’s much simpler than that.

Build habits you’re proud of whether anyone is watching or not.

That is character.

Body Language Says More Than You Think

Young athletes communicate even when they aren’t speaking.

A dropped head.

An eye roll.

Slamming a stick.

Ignoring a teammate.

Sulking after losing playing time.

Compare that with a player who stays engaged, communicates, encourages others, and continues competing after something goes wrong.

Both players are sending messages.

As competition increases, the ability to respond well to adversity becomes more important.

Nobody plays a perfect hockey game.

Nobody gets everything they want from every coach.

Nobody wins every shift.

Learning how to handle those moments while you’re young is a major advantage.

It doesn’t mean you can never be disappointed.

It means learning what to do with that disappointment.

Learn How to Talk to Your Coaches

One of the most valuable parts of this conversation had nothing to do with skating, shooting, or recruiting showcases.

It was communication.

Young players will eventually face moments when they disagree with a coach.

Maybe you don’t understand why your playing time changed.

Maybe you want to know what you need to improve.

Maybe you’re confused about your role.

Your first instinct might be to immediately tell a parent:

“Can you talk to my coach?”

Parents and guardians absolutely have an important role in a young athlete’s experience.

But as players get older, they also need opportunities to learn how to speak for themselves.

That skill becomes incredibly important in college hockey—and in life.

Instead of immediately asking someone else to solve the problem, a player can begin learning how to respectfully ask:

“Coach, what can I work on to earn more opportunities?”

Or:

“Can you help me understand what you want to see from me?”

Those conversations might feel uncomfortable at first.

That’s okay.

Communication improves with practice just like a hockey skill does.

Introducing yourself to coaches, looking people in the eye, asking thoughtful questions, listening to the answer, and speaking respectfully can all be practiced long before a college recruiting conversation ever happens.

Small Things Become Your Reputation

Young hockey players often focus on the spectacular.

Goals.

Big saves.

Breakaways.

Championships.

Highlight-reel moments.

But hockey careers are largely built in much smaller moments.

Showing up early.

Being prepared.

Listening.

Working through a drill you don’t like.

Encouraging the teammate sitting next to you.

Taking school seriously.

Introducing yourself.

Cleaning up after yourself.

Responding respectfully to a coach.

Trying again after failing.

None of these things will make a highlight video.

Together, however, they start forming an identity.

And eventually, when someone asks your coach what kind of player you are, those are some of the experiences that coach will remember.

You Can Learn About College Hockey Without Rushing the Process

For young players who are curious about college hockey, Kiersten also suggested learning about different programs.

That can be as simple as following teams and paying attention to them.

What schools interest you?

What does the program seem like?

What kind of environment might you enjoy someday?

Being curious is different from being consumed by recruiting.

Young players do not need to rush through childhood because they're worried about where they'll play years from now.

You can learn, dream, and explore without putting unnecessary pressure on yourself.

The college hockey journey—if it becomes part of your journey—will arrive soon enough.

For now, focus on becoming better prepared for whatever opportunities eventually come.

The Most Important Part: Keep Having Fun

After talking about grades, routines, character, recruiting, coaches, communication, and hard work, Kiersten finished with an important reminder:

Have fun.

That might sound simple.

It is also easy to forget.

Young players who dream big sometimes begin treating every practice, tournament, mistake, and decision as though their entire hockey future depends on it.

It doesn’t.

You are allowed to enjoy being a hockey player.

You are allowed to laugh with your teammates.

You are allowed to love going to the rink.

You are allowed to learn without already knowing where hockey will take you.

In fact, maintaining that love for the game may be one of the most important parts of staying with it long enough to discover what you’re capable of.

Your Future Hockey Career Is Being Built One Day at a Time

If college hockey is one of your goals, you don't need to have everything figured out today.

You don’t need to know your future school.

You don’t need to know exactly what level you'll reach.

You don't need a perfect plan.

Start smaller.

Work hard.

Take care of your schoolwork.

Be a great teammate.

Learn how to communicate.

Show up prepared.

Handle adversity with maturity.

Ask questions.

Keep learning.

And don’t forget to enjoy playing hockey.

Those habits can help you whether you eventually play college hockey, professional hockey, recreational hockey, or take everything the game teaches you into an entirely different part of your life.

Your hockey journey doesn't have to look like anyone else's.

Keep building it one day, one practice, one conversation, and one shift at a time.

🎧 Listen to the full episode of The Ride to The Rink with Kiersten Sires, share it with a teammate who has big hockey dreams, and keep following the podcast for more conversations created to help young players grow on and off the ice.

Whatever level you're chasing, believe in the work you're doing today—and remember to enjoy the ride.